


Murder on the Hamiltonian Express

by godDAMNitlaurens



Series: Detectives!AU [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alex is a detective, F/M, Friendly vacation does a 180, Heavy ‘n thicc suspicion, Lee dies lol, M/M, Murder Mystery, Thomas is a conductor, detectives!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-05 18:59:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13394193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godDAMNitlaurens/pseuds/godDAMNitlaurens
Summary: It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation- no stress, no work- when Mister Charles Lee suddenly becomes the victim of an ominous murder. Detective Hamilton must use the clues and passengers in order to crack the case of the murder, all while trying to watch his own back- for the murderer is amongst them all.





	1. Cruising Along

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when you get inspired by a movie about murder mysteries...you use it to make a crappy fanfic about a teenage detective trying to take a vacation, but instead of relaxing he has to find a killer. So yeah, enjoy at your own risk~
> 
> **yes, this was inspired by “Murder on the Orient Express”

Relaxing was simply out of the question for him. There was so much he had to do in such a short amount of time, that he couldn’t even think about setting his pen and paper down just to “relax”. He shuddered at the word. 

_Relax._

_Take a break._

When his friends had suggested a group vacation, the Carribean teenager, quite literally, laughed in their faces. 

“Real funny, you three. But there’s no frickin way I’m going up North during the _winter_ just to freeze my ass off,” Alexander Hamilton scoffed, stuffing his hands into the tattered pockets of his winter coat. “And besides, I’ve got reports to write.”

“But it will be fun, mon ami!” Lafayette said in a pleading tone. Hamilton rolled his icy-blue eyes as he looked to his other two friends, as if in need of some consolation. “John, Hercules? Can you _please_ tell him,” a thumb jerked in the Frenchman’s direction. “That I’m _not_ traveling for my winter break?” 

Laurens opened his mouth to say something, but Hercules beat him to it. “Sorry dude, but you need a break! It’s _winter fucking break_ , not winter _let’s-kill-ourselves-with-shit-that’s-not-due-till-next-February break_.” Alexander, John and Lafayette all started at their friend, speechless. Mulligan, figuring he’d proved his point, crossed his arms over his broad chest and smirked. “Mulligan one, Hamilton zero.” 

Hamilton let out a frustrated growl and ran a hand through his red hair. He started to say something, but Laurens cut him off. “Come on, Alex! Just take a break for a few days. We’re going up to Toronto for sightseeing, and we think it would be good for you. Get away from the town a bit, escape the stress!”

Alexander clenched his teeth and buried his head in his hands, letting out a huff of breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Guys, no. I appreciate the offer, but I’m gonna decline. Too much work and it’s too cold to sightsee.” John stepped back and winced slightly, curiously pained by Hamilton’s answer. Lafayette pouted, slinging an arm around Laurens’ shoulders, and leading him towards Mulligan’s car, a warm shield against the snow outside. Mulligan shook his head and sighed lowly. 

“Well, it’s your call man. We’ll see you in a few days. Have a good holiday.”

Hercules trudged his way through the snow, before climbing into his car and driving off, leaving a shivering, guilt-stricken Alexander to stand in front of Theodosia’s Cafe, alone. 

_Well now I feel like an asshole._

He thought, walking into the cafe to warm up with a much-needed coffee.

***

Later that night, Hamilton found himself hunched over his desk, pen scribbling fiercely over his paper as he revised it for what seemed like the hundredth time that hour. It was work for his criminal justice class, where he was training to become a detective. Hamilton had taken a political science class previously, but found that his main interest lied in detective work, searching for evidence against a criminal or enemy. He sighed, putting down his pen and taking a swig from the caffeinated coffee on the corner of his desk which, by this time, had gone disgustingly cold. 

On the wall ahead of him hung a clock, which read 2:03 AM. Alexander chuckled dryly at the new knowledge.

“Guess I should get to sleep,” The teenager grumbled, flopping over to his mattress, not even bothering to change into his pajamas. For the next half an hour, Alexander sat motionless as he listened to the soft ticking of his clock. He found himself thinking back to his friends’ offer.

_Come with us!_

_Take a break!_

_It will be fun!_

Alexander flicked his eyes over to the worn-out suitcase that occupied the corner of his dorm, having not been used since the beginning of the year. A rough, throaty sigh broke the comforting silence of his room, the corner of his mouth twitching up in some sort of smirk. 

“Oh I am _so_ gonna regret this...”

***

The next morning, Laurens, Lafayette and the Schuyler Sisters found themselves at the station, awaiting the arrival of their train. Mulligan was off at the front desk, finishing up a transaction.

“So how long is the ride again?” Peggy asked as she struggled to keep her backpack on her shoulders. Eliza, who was standing just left of her, chuckled softly.

“About thirteen hours. Don’t worry, it’ll go by quick,” She said in a reassuring tone, to which Peggy whined stubbornly. 

“You guys ready to go?” Hercules asked enthusiastically, walking up to the group and slipping his hand into Peggy’s. His girlfriend nodded, practically bouncing up and down in the spot where she stood. “The train should be here any minute-“ Mulligan started, but was cut off by the roaring of the engine and the screeching of metal wheels against railroad tracks. “There it is!” He squinted slightly, trying to make out the name of the train. “The Hamiltonian Express!”

An awkward silence hovered over the group once they realized who’s name that reminded them all of. No one dared to make eye contact, especially with John. Out of the six friends there, Laurens seemed to be the most torn up about Alexander’s decline of their invitation; something even the innocent, naïve Lafayette found suspicious. The doors suddenly swung open with a loud thud and a tall, slender man in a trench coat emerged, breaking the silence.

“Hello, and welcome to the Hamiltonian Express. My name is Thomas Jefferson, but y’all can call me Conductor Jefferson. Trust me, I’d prefer it,” He winked at the group, a couple reeling in disgust, others swooning. “Now as you all know, this train will be traveling non-stop to Toronto. Each of you have been assigned a room of your own, so there’ll be no need to share, unless you want to. Because it’s so early, breakfast will be served within the next couple hours, then our regular distribution schedule will resume after. Now, anymore questions?” 

Jefferson scanned the eyes of each group member, then pulled out a clipboard which had all the names of the expected visitors scribbled on it. “Good. We can start by taking roll-call. Hercules Mulligan?”

“Right here!” Check.

“John Laurens?” 

John raised his hand, high enough so the conductor could see him. A check went next to his name. Jefferson continued down the list, until he came across a rather _unique_ name. He made a face before attempting to say it.

“M...Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette?” Jefferson visibly winced, silently praying he didn’t screw it up. He relaxed upon seeing the rather happy look on the Frenchman’s face. 

“Ici!” Another check. 

A couple more names were called, both of which belonged to people the group knew either in passing or had a bit of a rivalry with. Aaron Burr, like Laurens, had quietly raised a hand when his name was called, but the man next to him answered Jefferson with a cocky tone. 

“Here. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Charles Lee said snobbishly, flipping his stupidly-long bangs out of his eyes. Lee made brief eye contact with Laurens, who instantly looked the other direction upon recognizing him. “Nor would I miss it for _you_ , Jackie.”

John felt a shiver run up his spine as he continued to ignore his ex’s taunting voice, trying to tune him out. “Right, moving on!” Jefferson said awkwardly, placing a check next to Lee’s name. Finally, he approached the last person scribbled onto the list. 

“Alexander Hamilton?”

Lafayette cleared his throat awkwardly, John clenched his grip tighter around the bag he was holding, and Peggy turned to look up at Hercules. She gave his hand a quick squeeze, gesturing towards Jefferson, not wanting to say anything. 

“He isn’t-“

“WAIT! DON’T LEAVE!”

Jefferson looked up, an eyebrow cocked, while the eight others all turned around simultaneously. “Hamilton?” Laurens muttered, biting his lip to refrain from smiling. The ginger ran full-speed up to his friends, nearly knocking Lafayette over in the process. “S...sorry, Laf.” He apologized through raspy breaths, shakily handing a ticket to the conductor, who nodded stiffly in thanks.

“And you must be Hamilton. Great! Now we can be on our way. Madison,” Jefferson called into the train, presumably to a staff member. “Be a dear and help these wonderful people with luggage, would you?” A man peered around the corner and stepped around the conductor, standing next to him obediently. “Yessir,” Madison nodded towards his boss and began taking luggage of various shapes and sizes into the train. Once he’d finished, Jefferson gave Madison a pat on the back and stepped aside to allow the passengers to get on board. Once everyone had settled, Jefferson turned to Madison, eyes gleaming in the artificial light of the station.

“Once we pull out Jemmy, you can start handing out breakfast. I’m sure our friends are hungry.” 

And with that, the two walked inside, the train’s engine revving up a few minutes later, preparing them all for the long journey ahead.


	2. The Thorn in Our Sides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Burr is a loner| Lee is an @$$| Laf is curious| Lee/Laurens ex-relationship hints

Ferocious laughter filled the dining car as Mulligan, Laurens, Hamilton, Lee and the three Schuylers sat at their table, listening to one another’s stories, over a breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon. Burr sat in the corner away from them all, nose in a book, as per usual. Laurens, who was seated next to Hamilton, nudged him gently and gestured towards the lone man. 

“Why don’t you invite him over here? He seems lonely.” 

“ _Burr?_ Please, John,” Alexander scoffed through a mouthful of eggs. “If he wanted to hang with us, he would. Trust me, I’ve tried countless times to be nice, and all I got in return was...well... _nothing_.” Laurens sighed, looking shamefully at Burr, then back at Alexander. 

“You could at least try.” He said quietly. Hamilton looked up at John, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head in angst as he stood up and made his way towards the person in question. 

“Hey.”

Aaron jumped slightly, head turning quickly to the sudden voice behind him. “Alexander? What do you need?”

Hamilton rocked back and forth on his heels, stuffing his hands into his tattered pockets, as he glanced over in Laurens’ direction. 

“My friends kind of want you to join us at our table. Something about you looking a little lonely over here.” Burr raised an eyebrow. _“Kind of?”_

Alexander paused, squinting, as if he were trying to decipher Burr’s intended tone of voice. He huffed stubbornly and tried to refrain from rolling his eyes.

“Look man, do you want to hang or not? Because we’d be totally fine either way,”  
Hamilton looked at Burr with impatient eyes. “You know, Alexander?” Aaron suddenly stood up, having to cran his neck slightly to look down at the man in front of him. “I have the feeling you don’t particularly care for my presence, do you?” 

The teenager paused, eyebrows flicking up slightly in alarm, as Burr smirked lightly. He let out a dry chuckle. 

“You can’t fool me, Hamilton. I can read you like an open book,” Burr turned briefly to gather his book and glasses, then looked back at Alexander. “And you think you’re secretive. Tell that to the thousands of campus students who read your little _‘pamphlet’_.” He spat, bumping Hamilton with his shoulder, with enough force to cause him to stumble. Without another word, Burr disappeared from the dining cabin, presumably to make his way back to his respective room. 

Hamilton shook his head incredulously. 

“Unbelievable.”  
~~~

A couple hours later, the passengers all found themselves scattered throughout the dining car, everyone doing their own thing. Lafayette, who had been writing endlessly in his ‘vacation journal’, closed it, after deciding that he wanted to take a short nap. Without saying a word to anyone, he got up and started towards his room, stopping when he heard yelling. It was coming from the smoking room. The Frenchman swallowed and looked from side to side suspiciously, knowing he shouldn’t be listening in. But, being the curious soul that he was, placed an ear onto the door.

“...happened ages ago, Burr. Why the hell are you still hung up on that?”

“Because you ruined my career, and any chances I had in getting that job!”

“It’s not my fault you’re such a pushover. And besides, Mister Washington clearly liked me _better_ ,” Lafayette could practically _hear_ Lee smile cockily. “It was obvious in the way he promoted me, and turned you away.”

An eerie pause fell between the two, and heavy footsteps could be heard advancing, on what Lafayette could assume, was forward. Unfortunately for Lafayette, whoever spoke next was practically whispering, yet he could pick up a venomous tone in his voice. 

_“...lost...money...support...”_

Lafayette strained himself to try and decipher what was being said, but to no avail. More footsteps were suddenly heard, this set being more rapid; angry. A sudden twist of the doorknob caused Lafayette to jump, breath hitching for a moment, as he tried to act as if he were only passing through. Burr sourly emerged from the room, eyes dark and jaw clenched. He glanced in Lafayette’s direction, who expected to be questioned, but Aaron only huffed lowly and briskly walked off to his room without a word; something Lafayette found quite unsettling. He jumped slightly when Lee walked past him, the two making brief eye contact, which Lafayette awkwardly broke, when Lee winked flirtatiously, for no apparent reason. A few moments after the man had disappeared from sight, Lafayette made his way over to his room, only to drop off his journal and walk out once again, in the direction of Burr’s room.  
~~~

Talking and murmurs were still heard from behind the walls of Aaron’s room. He tossed his book to the side, suddenly finding it hard to concentrate with all the noise, and huffed when a curious knock came at his door. Burr rolled his eyes before making his way over to the door, _hoping_ it wasn’t...

“Lafayette?” Burr cocked his head slightly, surprised to see the Frenchman standing at his door, of all people. “What do you need?”

Lafayette shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. He sighed anxiously before speaking. “Are you alright? I heard you and Monsieur Lee arguing before...,” Noticing how Burr’s features had quickly darkened, Lafayette swallowed nervously and clarified himself. “...But I was only passing through, of course. To get to my r-room!” He didn’t mean to stutter, and cleared his throat in attempt to play it off. Aaron didn’t seem to notice, or care for that matter, and looked back at the Frenchman.

“I do not wish to speak, Lafayette. Especially about this,” Burr answered quickly, taking a step back and looking as if he were ready to close the door. “But I appreciate your concern.” Lafayette opened his mouth to protest, but the slam of a heavy door prevented him from further questioning the secretive man. He sighed, and walked back to his room, defeated.  
~~~

Lee shoved open the door to the dining car abruptly, ignoring the dirty glare Angelica shot him, and shoving off Hamilton’s grunt of clear disgust. He scanned the room, hungerly, for one person in particular...

“John Laurens, so happy am I to have found you, my love,” Lee strutted across the floor towards Laurens, who froze upon his ex-boyfriend’s undesired arrival. “This seat taken?” Lee plopped down in between Hamilton and Laurens, who had been chatting up a storm before. Alexander, who had been shoved into Eliza, shot Lee a glare before turning to his friend to apologize. Laurens on the other hand, stared at Lee like a deer in headlights- terrified as his ex snaked an arm around his shivering figure. 

“So, Jack,” Lee flipped his bangs and raised an eyebrow. “I was thinking we should get back together. Y’know, the ‘kiss and make up’ sort of thing? Because let’s face it; you’re nothing without me-“

“That’s not true, and you know it!”

“-and I simply can’t live without you,” Lee finished, talking obnoxiously over Laurens. He took his free hand to cup John’s cheek, who, to both of their surprises, didn’t pull away. Laurens glanced off to the side, his cheeks dusted a light crimson, as he let Lee’s words sink into his head. It wasn’t until Lee leaned forward, lips puckered and their noses gently brushing against each other, that Laurens jumped back and stared, disgusted. 

“After what happened between us? After what you did to me? Yet you have the nerve to _kiss me_?” 

Lee shrugged nonchalantly. “You were pretty into it. You should’ve seen your face,” He chuckled, the innocent sound coming out with a twinge of sarcasm. “Just like when we were together. I’d caress you, seduce you, and you’d blush like a schoolgirl.”

“The past is in the past, Lee. And I intend on leaving our relationship in the past, where it _belongs_.”

“Such strong words from a naïve and trusting boy, like yourself.”

The two men glared at one another, gazes piercing boldly into the other’s eyes, as if one were waiting for the other to crack. No one said a word.

A sickening silence fell upon the entire group, the only audible sounds being the train clacking long the tracks, and Laurens’ shaky breathing. It was Peggy who spoke up next.

“So, what happened between you two, anyway?” Not even a second after she’d asked her quesiton, Angelica elbowed her in the ribs with more force than necessary, and Hercules looked down at her, expression begging her to drop the subject. 

Both Lee and Laurens tore their gazes away from one another to look at Peggy. Lee opened his mouth, presumably to say something stupid and sly, but John beat him to it. 

“Umm...well...we sort of, y’know...dated when we were younger...” 

“Well _duh_. You don’t think they would have guessed? It’s not every day you see two guys bickering over, mind you, a mistake _you_ made, that caused us to break up?”

 _“Lee,”_ Laurens warned through clenched teeth. “That’s a little _private_ , don’t you think?” His eye twitched dangerously when Lee carelessly shrugged a shoulder. 

“The gal asked, Jack. She’s got a right to know.”

“No, no. I’ll mind my own business,” Peggy said apologetically, shaking her head quickly. “Besides, I shouldn’t have asked in the first place.”

Silence fell upon the friends once again, until Laurens stood up suddenly and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Everyone, with the exception of Lee, exchanged worried glances, and Hamilton was the first to stand up himself. 

“I’ll go after him. He trusts me the most.” And with that, Hamilton rushed out of the car, none of its occupants seeming to pick up on the teenager’s final comment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll probably be updating once every few days; schools pretty busy rn and I gotta put the important stuff first :/  
> ~~~
> 
> Also, I’ll get into the Lee/Laurens ex-relationship next chapter (I was gonna add it here, but it would’ve made this chap. was too crowded)


End file.
